Farms Not What You Think

From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with today’s Fruit Grower Report. As legislators continue to pour more harmful laws and regulations on to the backs of farmers in Washington state, it begs the question, do they just not understand agriculture?

Pam Lewison, Ag Director at the Washington Policy Center, says there seems to be this belief that our farmers are backwards and uneducated …

LEWISON … “There’s a certain, sort of, in built disdain for people in agriculture and I think that attitude and that behavior toward food producers is a problem. And it, I think, limits our ability to have a good discussion around what we can do to help our food producers be more efficient, be more cost effective.”

Without, Lewison says much communication …

LEWISON … “With this assumption that agriculture in Washington is somehow abusive or exploitative, what you’re really talking about is not connecting the dots between how farms actually function and how policy impacts them in truly a negative way.”

And that, Lewison says hits the bottom line hard …

LEWISON … “Farmers last year finished dead last in the country for earned income in Washington. In fact, we netted negative income.”

According to the USDA, returns to Washington farmers in 2024 totaled -$295 million.